Colander, fruit and vegetable press, and the like



Dec. 1 5, 1942. 2,305,251

I COLANDERQY FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRESS AND- THE LIKE Filed Sept. 9, 1942IN V EN TOR.

Patented Dec. 15, 1942 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 2,305,251 COLANDER,FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRESS, AND THE LIKE Louisa M. Haise, Bostonia,Calif. Application September 9, 1942, Serial No. 457,781

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in colanders, fruit and vegetablepresses and the like, and one of its objects is to provide a device ofthis character which is simple and inexpensive in construction, ofmaximum efliciency in use, and adapted to be readily and convenientlycleaned and kept in sanitary condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich comprises parts capable of being readily assembled in operativerelation for use and disassembled for discharge of materials, cleaning,repairs and other purposes.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention,

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the device, showing thepressing element in position.

Figure 2 is a transverse section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view on line 33' of a Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through the colander orstrainer.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, l designates an openrectangular supporting stand comprising corner posts 2 connected attheir upper ends by horizontal angle metal side and end rails 3 and 4and also connected adjacent to their lower ends by side and end braces 5and 6 set edgewise in a vertical plane. The parts are bolted, riveted,welded or otherwise rigidly secured together to form a strong anddurable stand.

Arranged to rest upon the rails 2 and 3 is an openwork supporting frameor table 1 formed of side and end pieces having flanges 8 to fit downinto the opening formed by said rails. One of the end pieces of thisframe is provided with undercut fixed keepers 9, while the other endpiece of the frame carries similarly formed latches l pivotally mountedto swing laterally by bolts II and adapted to be clamped in securingposition by nuts l2.

A colander pan Or strainer vessel I3, of semicircular form inlongitudinal section and having a perforated bottom I4, is removablymounted in the opening of the frame and adapted to snugly fit at its toptherein. At its ends this vessel is provided with inwardly rolled rims Iwhich may be of semicircular, oval or equivalent form, each rim havingits concaved side l6 facing downwardly and its convex side l1 facingupwardly and terminating in a free edge portion I 8 forming a stopsurface. To the surfaces I! of the rims are fixed locking members l9having outwardly to projecting ends adapted to engage under and to beengaged by the undercut portions of the keepers 9. and latches Ill tosecure the vessel in place and against upward movements during amashing.

expressing or other similar" operation.

The material to be, mashed, such as potatoes, or from which juice is tobe expressed, such as fruit, is placed in the vesselv and subjected tothe, pressure of an oscillatory mashing or expressing tool or device20'. This may consist of a shank or staff 2| having at its upper end ahandle 2'2and at its lower end spindles 23 on which are detach ablymounted and journaled rolls 24. This device is adapted to be oscillatedback and forth over the curved bottom l4 between the stops I8 to forcethe material against the bottom for a mashing operation, in which thematerial itself is forced downwardly through the small perforations inthe bottom, or in which juice is expressed from the material anddischarged through the perforations.

In colanders of this character as heretofore constructed the back andforth motions of the oscillatory mashing tool are limited by straighthorizontal stop bars at the ends of the perforated bottom of the vessel,with which bars the rolls 2' 4" contact. bars is that portions of thematerial at the ends of the strokes are compressed and compacted againstthe undersurfaces of the bars to such a degree and density as to renderit difficult to remove such compacted material in cleaning the Vessel.Generally the use of a scraping tool is required for the purposefollowed by brushing and washing with hot water and even then it isdifficult to remove all the material. Hence the cleaning operation isprolonged and much work is necessary in an attempt to keep the vessel ina sanitary condition.

My invention overcomes this objection in a very simple and effectivemanner. As stated, the rollers 24 contact with the stop surfaces at thelimits of their oscillatory travel. These surfaces are arranged belowthe concaved inner surfaces I! of the stop rims or projections i5. Atthe periods of contact the rolls close the cavities of the rims l5in'the plane of the stops and air forced into the cavities by the rollsforms air cushions which prevent the material carried upward by therolls from being dashed against the undersurfaces of the rims or frombeing compacted by the rolls against the rim surfaces. On the contraryall material carried up by the rolls and impelled therefrom by the shockof contact drops back into the vessel, whereby the undersurfaces of thestops A material objection to the use of such" I5 are kept free fromclinging material so that the stop surfaces may be easily maintained ina clean and sanitary condition.

The material or juice therefrom expressed by the rolls through theperforated bottom of the strainer may be received in a drip pan disposedin the space bounded by the braces 6 and having hooked flanges 26 at itsends to engage the end braces and suspend the pan therefrom, while atthe same time holding the pan from shifting movements.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawing,the construction, mode of use and advantages of my improved colanderstructure will be readily understood without a further and extendeddescription. While the structure shown is preferred, it will, of course,be understood that changes in the form, proportions and details ofconstruction of the parts may be made within the scope of the appendedclaims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a colander or like article, a strainer for use with an oscillatoryexpresser having expressing roller means, said strainer comprising avessel of substantially semicylindrical form and having a perforatedbottom and end walls terminating in stops with which the roller meanscontacts at the ends of the strokes of the expresser, said stopsconsisting of integral continuations of the bottom and end walls of thevessel and uniform in thickness therewith and being of substantiallyU-form with their open sides facing downwardly.

2. In a colander or like article, a strainer for use with an oscillatoryexpresser having roller expressing means, said strainer comprising avessel of substantially semicylindrical form and having a perforatedbottom and end walls terminating in stops with which the roller meanscontacts at the ends of the strokes of the expresser, said stops beingof substantially U-form with their open sidesfacing downwardly, andkeepers fixed to the upper convex faces of the stops and pro jectingoutwardly therefrom for cooperation with fastening means on a support onwhich the vessel maybe mounted for use.

3. In a colander or the like, the combination of an open rectangularstand having supporting surfaces, a strainer vessel adapted to be fittedwithin the top of the stand and having a perforated bottom and inwardlyprojecting stops at the upper ends of its end walls, said stops being 7of substantially U-form with their concaved sides facing downwardly, andmeans for securing said vessel to the stand.

4. In a colander or the like, the combination of an open rectangularstand having supporting surfaces, a strainer vessel adapted to be fittedwithin the top of the stand and having a perforated bottom and inwardlyprojecting stops at the upper ends of its end walls, said stops being ofsubstantially U-form with their concaved sides facing downwardly, andmeans engageable with said stops for securing said vessel to the stand.

5. In a colander or the like, the combination of an open rectangularstand having supporting surfaces, a strainer vessel adapted to be fittedwithin the top of the stand and having a perfo rated bottom and inwardlyprojecting stops at the upper ends of its end walls, said stops being ofsubstantially U-form with their concaved sides facing downwardly, keepermembers to the 7 upper convex faces of said stops and projectingoutwardly therefrom to rest upon the supporting surfaces of the stand,and fastening means on the stand for cooperation with the keepers tosecure the vessel in position.

6. In a colander or the like, the combination of an open rectangularstand having supporting surfaces, a removable open rectangular frame,

adapted to engage and rest upon the supporting surfaces of the stand, astrainer vessel adapted to be fitted within the frame and having aperforated bottom and inwardly projecting stops at the upper ends of itsend walls, said stops being of substantially U-form with their concavedsides facing downwardly, keeper members fixed to the upper convex facesof said stops and projecting outwardly therefrom to rest upon the frame,and fastening means for cooperation with the keepers to secure thevessel to the frame and stand.'

LOUISA M. HAISE.

